The 2022 D23 Expo

I had a terrific time last weekend at the 2022 D23 Expo!

The Expo took place at the Anaheim Convention Center from September 9th through 11th. Though the Expo normally takes place every other year, this was the first Expo since 2019, and it was so good to be back!

As I wrote in 2019, the Expo is inevitably tiring, with 5:30 a.m. alarms and long days with many miles walked -- but it's also tremendous fun, which is why I've attended every single Expo! And it was absolutely marvelous that the Expo let guests make their own decisions regarding masks; most attendees opted for normalcy.

I attended slightly fewer panels than usual, due to a lack of standby tickets and/or schedule conflicts, but I enjoyed some excellent presentations, as well as several terrific show floor exhibits. Highlights of the weekend included the 30th anniversary tribute to THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL (1992), with appearances by the Muppets; an exhibit on Walt Disney's private plane; and a fantastic "Princess Concert" to close the Expo Sunday afternoon. The concert, with five knockout Broadway singers, brought down the house; I certainly felt I'd gotten my money's worth!

As always, there were some odd things mixed among the great stuff. The computerized advance reservations to the biggest panels were not distributed equitably, with some people receiving reservations for multiple "big panels" in Hall D23 and others receiving none. The algorithm should be set so that no one gets a second Hall D23 ticket until everyone who's asked for a ticket gets at least one.

Although overnight lines were against the rules and were supposed to be broken up by Anaheim P.D., they happened anyway, and consequently nonreserved standby tickets for the big Marvel/Star Wars and Parks panels were gone well before 6:00 a.m.

They did at least live stream the Parks panel, which we watched on a phone, as did many others. The lack of concrete "news" from that panel was disappointing, especially given the Disney company's 100th anniversary coming up in 2023. Disneyland fared better than Walt Disney World in this regard, but a vague promise of a new ride for Avengers Campus didn't amount to much. 

I did like the plans (seen above) to retheme the Pacific Wharf in Disney California Adventure to "San Fransokyo" from BIG HERO 6 (2014); I wrote in my 2014 review that "the film's biggest asset might be its production design, as the San Fransokyo setting is endlessly interesting."

The Disneyland Resort will also enjoy the return of the "Magic Happens" parade which ran only two weeks before the park was closed in March 2020; a Disney centennial fireworks show; and a new World of Color show in Disney California Adventure.

My daughter said the Aramark concession food, which I avoided, was as bad as ever. However, I appreciated the food trucks outside the convention center. At some past conventions, when security was at the building doors, there were long lines to re-enter the building if you exited to the food trucks, but thanks to security checkpoints being moved that is no longer an issue. I liked the steak and fries from Barcelona OntheGo!

This year's Expo also maintained the 2019 improvement of all queues being indoors, other than just before we entered the main lobby at 9:00 a.m. Given the extremely high temperatures here last weekend, that was a relief.

I'm organizing Expo photos for several planned posts! I've got many other posts in the works as time permits, including Blu-ray and book reviews, photos from a 50th anniversary tribute to the TV series EMERGENCY! (1972-79), and more photos from my summer road trip.

Previously: Off to the 2022 D23 Expo!

Related: Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Part 1.

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